Deputy President William Ruto yesterday said he is ready for talks with Coast leaders on forging an alliance ahead of 2022.
Some Coast leaders, led by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, announced plans to form their own party to campaign for the top seat in the next election.
Ruto said he recognised the effort of those leaders.
There are indications the once famous Opposition stronghold, which has been against the Jubilee administration, could be leaning towards the DP as he seeks the top seat in the 2022 polls.
During last year’s election campaigns, Kingi and his Mombasa counterpart Hassan Joho were strong critics of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto’s leadership.
On Tuesday, Ruto for the first time since the famous handshake went with Coast Opposition politicians on a tour of Tana River and Kilifi counties to assess the floods.
Kingi flew in the same chopper with the DP, Tana River Senator Juma Wario, Garsen MP Ali Hanshaka Wario and Msambweni MP Suleiman Dori.
In another chopper were Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa and his CAS counterpart and former Tana River Governor Hussein Dado.
Speaking in Garsen town, Ruto said, “Coast will not be taken for granted this time, it will not be swayed by ‘tibim’ and ‘tialala’. This time Coast leaders will sit and consult to know their ambitions, needs and the issues they want in the political arena.”
‘Tibim’ and ‘Tialala’ were slogans in support of Raila Odinga.
But Kingi told Ruto to prepare for a giant political battle in 2022, as the region’s population will not joyride in other people’s parties.
“Plans are in top gear to form our regional party, which has been elusive, for our aim is to work together as politicians to unite residents of the six coastal counties,” he said.
Kingi said the time to be invited to form the government is over, because it came along with a lot of embarrassment as witnessed in the past regimes.
Already the idea of a regional party is seen to create a rift in the ODM party.
Joho is the ODM deputy leader and still stands firm in the party, while his Kilifi counterpart seems to be focusing on a different direction of forming a regional party.
Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana said it is time the Coast walked its own political path. “Other regions should be aware it will not be easy in 2022 and future polls,” he said.